On the Dolphins, Matt Flynn, and Peyton Manning

We’re going to hear a lot of reports in coming weeks about teams that are interested in Peyton Manning, if healthy.

It would probably be shorter to create a list of teams not interested in a healthy Manning.

Any team with modest room for improvement at quarterback will investigate one of the league’s all-time greats. It’s not like Manning was exactly struggling when he last played.

The latest report about Manning comes from Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. He has a team source that says the Dolphins would prioritize going after Manning ahead of Matt Flynn. (The Dolphins also prefer Tom Brady to Matt Cassel, and they like Mario Williams more than Rob Ninkovich.)

Pursing Manning will be tricky because of timing. Will Manning be able to show he’s healthy enough for a monster contract early in the offseason? If not, can teams wait around to see what happens with Manning’s recovery?

Salguero notes that the Dolphins have not even shown “informal interest” in Flynn behind the scenes despite coach Joe Philbin’s ties to Flynn. That’s good, because even informal interest would be tampering. Perhaps the Dolphins are just trying to cover their collective backside.

Aaron Rodgers told Jason Wilde of ESPN Milwaukee on Wednesday that it’s a “strong possibility” the Dolphins will pursue Flynn. That’s practically evidence of tampering right there.
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How is Rodgers commenting on his own teammate practically tampering? Well????

Love the Dolphins…ink on my leg proves it but Flynn is a one hit wonder and Manning is a little banged up to put it nicely…try to look at what around(not much probably) or put together a package that the Colts can’t refuse..or re-sign Cleo Lemon…it’s a huge gamble.

Its a business if Moore and Flynn have their feelings hurt because the front office wanted Manning get over it and man up. Most of this mess isn’t even Ross’ fault he didn’t hire the tuna. Can’t blame Ross for everything.

I trust a Peyton Manning that openly states he’s 100% and ready to play over any other FA or rookie. Manning on the field gets your team to the playoffs. The draft and FA keep him safe. Manning changes the dynamic of Miami instantly. He maximizes Reggie bush and Brandon Marshall

I keep seeing the same things on all the Manning posts: “…put together a package the Colts can’t refuse….” or something like that. God, don’t you people read? One more time: MANNING WILL NOT BE TRADED!!!! His $28 million dollar roster bonus is due prior to the start of the new league season. If the Colts pay the bonus then trade Manning, the entire $28 million hits their cap immediately. Not gonna happen. Their only option is to pay it and keep him, or release him outright. Don’t expect Manning to be willing to push back the date either. Why would he do that? It doesn’t help him, the date gives him all the leverage, and with all the change afoot in Indy, I’m not thinking he’s gonna want to do Irsay any favors. If Peyton plays next season, it won’t be as a Colt.

Well Armando Salguero reported so it must be spot on! Just like when he reported Joe Philbin was out of the runnnig for the Fin’s head coach, and that the Fin’s front office passed on McCoy because they were adamant about keeping Todd Bowles.

So let me get this straight. Aaron Rodgers makes the same connection between Flynn and his old coach that most of the football world is making and that is ALMOST proof of tampering. Wow! Thats some reporting, Rosenthal. Your Miami haterism is showing once again.

This article and others like it are just ridiculous. Right now everything depends upon Mannings recovery. Not even Manning knows if he can ever play again. The owner of this blog should use his legal degree and investigate the liability for any team that medically clears Manning to play. Is a KNOWN injury like Manning’s covered by medical insurance? Will a team be legally responsible for any further injury that Manning incurs?

Just like Fisher, a healthy Manning may use the our team to jack up his price, but he too knows what a mess this organization has become. He’ll want to go to a better run organization that’s only one or two players away. One with a solid O-line and without a headache receiver like Marshall. Ross will look like a fool once again.

It’s all a smoke screen IMO. Miami is hoping Daniel Snyder will do what he does every free agency period and overpay for Manning, and Cleveland, worried that another team will trade up with the Rams, will sign Matt Flynn to make sure they get an upgrade at QB. This will leave Miami with the ability to trade up for a modest price and draft RGIII.

I want to know what “practically evidence” means? All it’s evidence of is that Rodgers doesn’t believe Flynn will be back next year and the dolphins should pursue him? Why is PFT so interested in bringing up tampering all the time anyway. I mean every team has a list of potential FAs with scouting reports which according to PFT could be considered tampering?? Come on man!

Matt Flynn played two games…one against the Patriots in which he played a porous pass defense and looked serviceable. The second game was against the sieve-like Lions secondary and he looked like a Madden 12, ’99’ rating cat. Not a good enough sample for one to commit $10 million per to. I’ve heard people say this guy is like another Scott Mitchell, but I think they are wrong. He can be another Schaub if he lands in the right situation. The Dolphins are still dysfunctional as an organization and it would be best to draft a QB and roll with Matt Moore (who has proven that he can be at least marginally successful on the cheap) before dolling out the big bucks to a FA that has never been ‘the man’. Pressure does a lot to those who have been enriched without extensive experience….now we are talking Scott Mitchell.

Since it’s all speculation at this point, I’m gonna throw at an unlikely but interesting scenario.

Peyton wants:
(1) A playoff ready team that could potential win a Superbowl next year with him behind center.
(2) A championship caliber defense with a solid running game so that he doesn’t have to carry the whole team, not to mention an o-line that can consistently protect him.
(3) A stable team in a stable market (i.e. probably not the NYJ. It seems nice in theory, but I buy the reports that the media market is too chaotic and the locker room is too egotistical/brash for Peyton’s style—no hate, gang green).

And all this goes without saying that the team to sign him will have to have some flexibility at the QB position (e.g. even though Manning is probably an upgrade from Mike Vick, Vick would cost to much to cut). They would also probably have to be in a “win now” type mentality. No need to shell out money for Peyton if you’re the Bucs, even if he is a clear upgrade over Freeman and could perhaps get them to the playoffs.

Of all the teams, there is only one that truly seems to fit the mold: the Baltimore Ravens. They obviously fit all the requirements, and although they may be a bit brash for Peyton’s sake, there are few teams as desperate for a ring as that aging hall of fame defense. I’d say San Fran but they don’t have as good an o-line nor as good a run game. Flacco played admirably in the AFC Champ, but Peyton may be the edge they need. Not to mention how serendipitous it would be if Baltimore took something from the Colts or a change.

I’m not holding my breath with these stooges. Every scenerio yielded to something else: They like Flacco, they draft Henne. They liked Palmer, got Matt Moore, The liked Fisher they got Philbin. Although… some of these look on paper to be good… my point is, they always wish for things and never attack it. So don’t hold your breath fin fans.

@Rosenthal: you must be a Patriot fan because you’ve reported several useless Miami articles that come off making the fins like silly. And this is one of these articles that are useless. Aaron Rodgers talking is not ‘tampering’.

Rodgers commenting does not imply tampering. Now of Joe Philbin talks that is a different story.

My landing spot if he plays (which is a big if) are the Redskins. The owner has the $$ to pay PM and this team is a couple of players away from competeing in the NFCE. Didn’t they sweep everyone’s SB favorite the Giants TY?
The Skins have a good defense which seems to be getting better every season.

He will never play in the NY market with Eli not to mentiom having the biggest bufoon as a HC. Miami is a possibility but somehow based on past history Ross/Irerland will F it up.

Ah the Miami Dolphin tradition, pursue other team’s rejects, wash ups, and backups thinking they can find a diamond in the rough for a QB. Maybe one of these days they will find out this method rarely works.

For every Matt Schaub, Matt Hasselback, there are tons of Kevin Kolbs, Rob Johnsons, AJ Feeleys. (does that name sound familiar Dolphin fans).

Payton Manning is done playing professional football………
Regeneration of a muscle group is a very long shot in happening. It didn’t and it won’t.

You can’t buy a muscle group, or a nerve with 28 million dollars. It’s over, done, handicap is the word to use now. I lost the lateral head of my triceps. First it went numb, but I had flexation and use, then after the surgery, it was non-existent. 3 months of rehab and electronic stimulation and nothing…..well if I had to be handicap I guess I could not pick a better kind as I feel lucky. But Payton, it’s over, he knows it, and it’s a bummer but it’s a risk. I was an amateur boxer, hockey player, wrestler, and football player………take care of your spine!

I had the same surgery last December, Payton did it in two trips. Two discs’ taken out of your spine, filled with a plastic spacer, then bone graft, from cadaver or from Payton, mine was from my breast plate.

It’s a huge surgery, and carry’s a price tag of around $80K but I don’t think he has medical bills to worry about as I do.

He will be a great coach, and he was one of the best all time at the QB position.